A brutal blast of frigid air sweeping across the United States wreaked havoc on roads in Virginia and Maryland, leaving at least three dead in multi-vehicle wrecks Saturday, authorities said.

A 55-vehicle crash on an icy spread of I-95 in Baltimore left at least two people dead and motorists stranded for hours about five a.m. Saturday, according to Chief Roman Clark, a Baltimore Fire Department spokesman. Fifteen people were taken to hospitals.

[GRAPHIC] This is movie of a fuel tanker sliding over the rail on I-95 this AM and EXPLODING shortly after. (via Marvellous Amasiacu) #WBAL pic.twitter.com/A49YrqNn89

A movie posted on social media demonstrated a fuel truck rolling over a median on the interstate near the Washington Boulevard exit before erupting in flames, CNN affiliate WBAL reported. Clark confirmed the movie demonstrated the I-95 crash.

WARNING: This movie from social media contains language and material that some viewers may find disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said good Samaritans helped pull people out of cars.

"This is the worst accident that we’ve seen," she said.

95 in Baltimore .Multivehicle accident. Roads are enormously icy. I guess they left behind the treat the roads. #winter2016 #baltimore @fox5dc pic.twitter.com/tbCsKa8ulC

Emergency vehicles descended on the scene, stalling traffic for miles and leading authorities to urge stranded motorists on both sides of the interstate to "remain warm and quiet and shelter in place" in their cars, Clark said.

The cause of the wreck was under investigation but Clark described road conditions as "very greasy."

In northern Virginia, authorities responded to more than forty traffic accidents, some involving numerous vehicles, according to the state police.

One person was killed after a multi-vehicle crash at Five:12 a.m. on Interstate four hundred ninety five in Fairfax County, state police said.

Here&#39;s another capture from slightly further back on the neighboring overpass adjacent to #I95N in #Baltimore taken

The man appeared to have been involved in a 23-vehicle collision — including two tractor trailers — under "slick and treacherous" road conditions, according to the state police. His assets was found on the shoulder of the interstate about one mile north of the accident scene. An autopsy was to be performed.

At Dulles Airport, just outside Washington D.C., icy conditions compelled the closure of runways for part of the morning. Two runways were reopened about eleven a.m.

Nationally, there were 1,870 flight cancellations, according to FlightAware.

The dangerous conditions arrived as some people commenced their holiday travel early.

"If you don’t have to go out on the roads, we would ask that you just stay in at this time until the temperatures rise," Clark told CNN.

In Indiana, the Wayne Township Fire Department and the Indianapolis police used a ladder to evacuate stranded drivers from I-465.

Police in Marion and Hendricks counties responded to almost two hundred accidents, thirty six involving injuries, inbetween ten p.m. and four a.m., according to the Indianapolis police.

In northwest Missouri, I-29 reopened to traffic Saturday after dozens of drivers were trapped in their cars the night before, CNN affiliate KQTV reported.

The frigid air blast is bringing bone-chilling winds and subfreezing temperatures to millions across the country this weekend.

The National Weather Service warns that the massive system will produce intense snow from parts of northern California to the Fine Lakes.

Its reach will extend into the southern Rockies and Fresh England by Saturday.

Major coastal cities in the Northeast will see a changeover from snow to rain by Saturday evening.

A strong storm over the central Rockies will budge northeast to Fresh England by Sunday morning.

Potentially life menacing wind chills as low as fifty degrees below zero are expected in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado and Idaho.

Portions of Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota could get the coldest air the region has seen in two years.

Fresh York, Washington and Boston had enormously cold temperatures Saturday, with the wind chill ranging from minus ten to minus thirty five degrees in some locations from Pennsylvania up into Maine.

A brutal blast of frigid air sweeping across the United States wreaked havoc on roads in Virginia and Maryland, leaving at least three dead in multi-vehicle wrecks Saturday, authorities said.

A 55-vehicle crash on an icy open up of I-95 in Baltimore left at least two people dead and motorists stranded for hours about five a.m. Saturday, according to Chief Roman Clark, a Baltimore Fire Department spokesman. Fifteen people were taken to hospitals.

[GRAPHIC] This is movie of a fuel tanker sliding over the rail on I-95 this AM and EXPLODING shortly after. (via Marvellous Amasiacu) #WBAL pic.twitter.com/A49YrqNn89

A movie posted on social media demonstrated a fuel truck spinning over a median on the interstate near the Washington Boulevard exit before erupting in flames, CNN affiliate WBAL reported. Clark confirmed the movie showcased the I-95 crash.

WARNING: This movie from social media contains language and material that some viewers may find disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said good Samaritans helped pull people out of cars.

"This is the worst accident that we’ve seen," she said.

95 in Baltimore .Multivehicle accident. Roads are enormously icy. I guess they left behind the treat the roads. #winter2016 #baltimore @fox5dc pic.twitter.com/tbCsKa8ulC

Emergency vehicles descended on the scene, stalling traffic for miles and leading authorities to urge stranded motorists on both sides of the interstate to "remain warm and tranquil and shelter in place" in their cars, Clark said.

The cause of the wreck was under investigation but Clark described road conditions as "very lubricious."

In northern Virginia, authorities responded to more than forty traffic accidents, some involving numerous vehicles, according to the state police.

One person was killed after a multi-vehicle crash at Five:12 a.m. on Interstate four hundred ninety five in Fairfax County, state police said.

Here&#39;s another capture from slightly further back on the neighboring overpass adjacent to #I95N in #Baltimore taken

The man appeared to have been involved in a 23-vehicle collision — including two tractor trailers — under "slick and treacherous" road conditions, according to the state police. His figure was found on the shoulder of the interstate about one mile north of the accident scene. An autopsy was to be performed.

At Dulles Airport, just outside Washington D.C., icy conditions coerced the closure of runways for part of the morning. Two runways were reopened about eleven a.m.

Nationally, there were 1,870 flight cancellations, according to FlightAware.

The dangerous conditions arrived as some people commenced their holiday travel early.

"If you don’t have to go out on the roads, we would ask that you just stay in at this time until the temperatures rise," Clark told CNN.

In Indiana, the Wayne Township Fire Department and the Indianapolis police used a ladder to evacuate stranded drivers from I-465.

Police in Marion and Hendricks counties responded to almost two hundred accidents, thirty six involving injuries, inbetween ten p.m. and four a.m., according to the Indianapolis police.

In northwest Missouri, I-29 reopened to traffic Saturday after dozens of drivers were trapped in their cars the night before, CNN affiliate KQTV reported.

The frigid air blast is bringing bone-chilling winds and subfreezing temperatures to millions across the country this weekend.

The National Weather Service warns that the massive system will produce powerful snow from parts of northern California to the Superb Lakes.

Its reach will extend into the southern Rockies and Fresh England by Saturday.

Major coastal cities in the Northeast will see a changeover from snow to rain by Saturday evening.

A strong storm over the central Rockies will budge northeast to Fresh England by Sunday morning.

Potentially life menacing wind chills as low as fifty degrees below zero are expected in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado and Idaho.

Portions of Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota could get the coldest air the region has seen in two years.

Fresh York, Washington and Boston had enormously cold temperatures Saturday, with the wind chill ranging from minus ten to minus thirty five degrees in some locations from Pennsylvania up into Maine.